New Year, New Habits: Set These Goals in 2018

By Katie Moritz

New Year’s resolutions always seem kind of unnecessary—why not start right now?—but there’s something so satisfying about making a list of them anyway. (Research has shown it’s human nature to want to start something new on a “first”—first of the year, first of the month, first of the week.)

If you need some inspiration for a resolution list of your own, here are some of our favorite “good habits” we learned more about in 2017:

1. Bring your own mug to Starbucks

In 2011, Starbucks reported it goes through 4 billion disposable coffee cups per year—the majority of which end up in landfills. You can help counteract coffee cup waste by bringing your own reusable mug to your favorite coffee shop. It’s good for the environment, and some cafes will offer a discount for your green thinking.

2. Take the stairs for a boost

Speaking of caffeine, if you’re trying to kick the habit, look no further than your office building’s stairwell. Walking at a normal speed up and down the stairs for 10 minutes has been shown to provide more energy and motivation to work than taking 50 milligrams of caffeine, about the amount in a can of soda, according to research by the University of Georgia.

3. Sit better at work

To take your healthy office habits one step further, try thinking critically about the way you sit at your desk. There’s a wrong and a right way to do it, experts say. And considering how much time we spend at work, it’s worth it to get a hang of healthy sitting.

4. Exercise at least one hour a week

Exercise-based resolutions are very popular and very easy to give up on. Some of us are not athletic and find no thrill in working out. But did you know that exercising for just one hour a week can provide serious health benefits? It’s a goal that’s both attainable and will pay off in the long run.

5. Make all your lunches on Sunday night

You can save money and time and eat more healthily (all at once!) by buying into the meal-prep trend. Earlier this year, we asked meal-prepper Kelli to show us how to make a simple and wholesome turkey dish for the week ahead.

Katie Moritz is Rewire’s senior editor and a Pisces who enjoys thrift stores, rock concerts and pho. She covered politics for a newspaper in Juneau, Alaska, before driving down to balmy Minnesota to help produce long-standing public affairs show “Almanac” at Twin Cities PBS. Now she works on this here website. Reach her via email at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @katecmoritz.